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Posted Thu Dec 16 2010: from ScienceDaily:
Earthworms Absorb Discarded Copper Nanomaterials Present in Soil http://apocadocs.com/s.pl?1292516279
In a study funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a team of scientists from the University of Kentucky determined that earthworms could absorb copper nanoparticles present in soil. One crucial step in determining the uptake of nanomaterials was discerning whether uptake of metal ions was released from the nanomaterials or the nanomaterials themselves. Using x-ray analysis, researchers were able to differentiate between copper ions and copper nanoparticles by examining the oxidation state of copper in the earthworm tissues.... Jason Unrine, the lead author of the study said, "This was one of the first studies to demonstrate that engineered nanomaterials can be taken up from the soil by soil organisms and enter food chains, and it has significant implications in terms of potential exposure to nanomaterials for both humans and ecological receptor species."
[Read more stories about: nanotechnology, ecosystem interrelationships, unintended consequences]

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'Doc Jim says:
Uh-oh! Looks like "ecological receptor species" and "humans" are an intersecting set!

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